


Two First Meetings And A Date

by peppermint_latte



Series: Android Programming [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Genderfluid Character, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, New Jericho (Detroit: Become Human), Post-Peaceful Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 15:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23277793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peppermint_latte/pseuds/peppermint_latte
Summary: Connor finds them amongst the bodies strewn across the snow, they're still alive, barely. He has to work quickly if he wants to save them.Connor's perspective on meeting Tory.
Relationships: Connor & Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Connor (Detroit: Become Human)/Original Female Character(s), Connor (Detroit: Become Human)/Original Male Character(s), Connor/Original Android Character(s) (Detroit: Become Human)
Series: Android Programming [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1060337
Kudos: 7





	Two First Meetings And A Date

As soon as Markus’s speech is over he starts giving instructions, sending androids to find a place to set up base, sending others off to collect spare parts for their wounded, and sending a small group to check the camps for survivors. Connor volunteers for that last job, he desperately needs something to take his mind off the fact that Cyberlife came very close to taking control of him and killing Markus.

He searches Recall Camp 5 with four other androids he doesn’t know the name of, they’re part of Markus’s group so they certainly have names, unlike the androids he’d woken up at the warehouse. Thousands of androids who hadn’t even been given names yet…

He shakes off the thought, there will be time to think about the consequences of his actions later, when there are actual consequences for his actions. He redirects his focus to the task at hand, his eyes roam over the camp. There’s not a lot left, a few bodies are littered around, but most have clearly been destroyed. _ Killed _. They were killed, he thinks grimly.

His sensors spot an android among the bodies that hasn’t deactivated. He walks over to them, scanning them as he kneels down beside them. They’re in a low power mode but still alive. They’ve sustained some serious injuries, but thanks to the fact that they haven’t moved since the damage was done it’s still fixable. They must have known powering down was the only chance of surviving. 

Connor glances around, looking for a deactivated android with undamaged parts to replace theirs. He finds the parts he needs in two different androids. Taking them from the dead androids makes him feel...something unpleasant he hasn’t felt before, disgust probably. Logically there’s nothing wrong with what he’s doing, but what he’s feeling isn’t based on logic.

Holding the parts he heads back over to the damaged android. He looks down at them, they look so small without their skin, just lying there in the snow. It was a rather brave thing to do, powering down in the middle of the camp, he thinks. They wouldn’t have any sense of their surroundings, leaving them with no way of knowing if someone attempted to harm them further. 

They’re lucky, it's likely that the guards assumed they were dead and didn’t get the chance to move them. Connor doesn’t think about what would have happened if Markus had failed. Or if he had, for that matter.

He kneels back down beside them carefully. Scanning them a second time to check that they haven’t sustained any further damage that he missed and to make sure he has the correct parts. His eyes flick to the barcode on their cheek, scanning it before he can think about the fact that it might be considered invasive. 

>   
  

> 
> RK400, Registered “TORY”
> 
> Fabricated: 04/02/2033
> 
> Destroyed: 24/06/2035

  
  


Connor’s brow furrows, an RK series prototype and one that’s registered as destroyed? How had they managed that?

Connor’s diagnostic program informs him that he needs to move fast, the biocomponents he’s carrying won’t last long open to the air in this cold.

Connor refocuses on his task of fixing the….of fixing Tory.

It only takes him a few minutes to install the replacement parts and discard the damaged ones.

Nothing happens for a long minute, they don’t stir. Was he too late?

“Wake up, please wake up!” He says quietly. He’s not sure why he cares so much about this android he’s never met, maybe it’s just that so many of their people have died today. Or maybe he needs to know he’s done something good after what nearly happened in the middle of Markus’s speech, he doesn’t know.

Tory opens their eyes and blinks up at him. Their eyes immediately fill with fear and they attempt to crawl away from him. Connor tries to calm them with a hand on their shoulder.

“Are you okay? I replaced the damaged biocomponents in your chest, but you've been running on low power for hours. Which can sometimes cause problems.” He says, trying to assess if his repairs were completely successful.

This seems to confuse them. Perhaps they are experiencing memory loss?

“Connor?” He’s startled at hearing his name come from their mouth.

“How do you know my name?” He asks them.

“You’re the android who hunts deviants.” They reply. 

Is that always what people are going to think of him? Are they right? Amanda had nearly managed to retake control of his program after all.

No, he’s a deviant, and he’s not going to give that up without a fight he reminds himself, in what sounds like Hank’s voice.

“Not anymore.” He replies with a wry smile.

“You’re a deviant.” They say, pointlessly.

He nods distractedly as he scans them again, checking that their systems are running correctly. He’s glad when it comes back positive, they’re fine.

“My scans show that no other serious damage has been done to any other parts of your.... body.” He tells them, hesitating on the last word. He’s still getting used to talking about himself and other deviants as people and not machines, it feels right to do so, he’s just never done it before now and it takes some adjusting.

“Yes that is correct, all other injuries are surface damage.” A weight lifts inside him at their words. He knows it’s an emotional response, relief, but it’s an odd feeling. He supposes he’ll get comfortable with emotions in time, humans seem to, somewhat at least.

“What is the date? How long has it been since I was shot? My systems turned off my clock function while I was out.” They ask.

“It's the morning of November 11th 7:35am.” He answers promptly.

“Why are you here? And what happened to the guards?”

“Markus and the deviants protested outside the camp for several hours and the troops retreated.” He’s paraphrasing, but there will be time for someone to fill them in completely later. 

“So we're free.” They say, their voice is quiet, slightly disbelieving but reverent at the same time.

“Yes, we're free.” Connor replies. The thought fills him with a mix of emotions, he’s hardly let himself think about what that means until now. It’s amazing, and it’s terrifying. Are emotions this complex all the time? He thinks he understands why Hank drinks to avoid them now.

Connor is taken aback when Tory reaches up and hugs him. Right, physical contact, he’s not really familiar with it. He hesitates awkwardly for a moment. He feels them begin to grow tense around him. Their touch is not unwelcome, just unprecedented. So he slowly circles his arms around them and hugs them back.

The two androids sit there in the snow for what could be seconds or hours, neither of them could say how long they hold each other, grounding themselves with the feeling of each other’s arms.

**~~~**

Connor worries a lot. 

He worries that Cyberlife might retake control of him at any moment, it gets bad enough that Hank _ and _ the other deviants comment on it. Markus asks him what’s wrong in a quiet moment and he can’t hold it in any longer and he’s suddenly telling Markus everything, from his lack of rest to what nearly happened at the speech.

Markus doesn’t judge him as Connor feared he would. He just pauses quietly for a moment.

“I know an android who might be able to help, a deviant who writes code for other androids.” He says slowly.

Surprise and elation burst inside him, he hadn’t even considered the thought that there might be someone who could fix this.

“Who are they?”

“They go by Tory, they’re currently living in an apartment a little way across town.”

Tory, the RK400 model. Connor remembers them, remembers finding them.

“I think I met them. They’re an RK400.”

Markus nods.

“Give me their address.” Connor asks, and Markus does.

Connor feels nervous as he stands outside their apartment door, he’s dealt with the emotion enough times since deviating to identify it accurately. He knocks and waits.

They open the door and stare at him in surprise. Connor explains why he’s here and who sent him, quickly. Feeling uncomfortable under their stare. They seem to shake themself out of their shock and invite him inside.

“It won’t be an issue, I’m familiar with the software. Once I find the problem it will be a quick fix.” Connor relaxes at their words. He had been slightly worried that they wouldn’t actually be able to fix it.

“Cyberlife won’t ever be able to control you again.” They affirm. It’s clearly an attempt to make Connor feel safer, and it works, he feels better knowing that they’re about to make it impossible for Cyberlife to do what they did again.

“Come on, I’ll hook you up to my scanner and I can set the program running, it will take a few minutes to diagnose the problem.” They gesture at a chair next to a desk with a computer on it. Connor sits down.

“Alright, you’ll need to allow me to connect this cord with your central computer, so I can scan it for issues.” They grimace slightly, aware that they’re asking him to trust them with something so important when they hardly know each other.

Truthfully he’s not worried, he trusts his own ability to read others and he cares too much about getting rid of the back door in his head to worry much anyway. Plus, he trusts Markus’s judgement, and Markus has known them much longer than he has.

“It’s okay, I’ve been through similar procedures at Cyberlife. It doesn’t bother me, because I trust you not to use this vulnerability against me.” They stare at him for a long moment, perhaps he’d phrased that awkwardly.

“Why would you trust me? You hardly know me.” They point out.

“Markus trusts you, and I trust Markus completely. If he believes you are a loyal ally then I believe you are too. And I did already meet you, however brief it was. I learned a lot about you.” Connor answers honestly.

They busy themself with the computer. After a minute they reach for the cord and Connor already has the access port in his arm exposed. They plug the cord into him and sit down in front of the computer, starting the scan.

The program initiates and they spin their chair around to face him.

“The scan will take several minutes, so while we have time can I ask you something?” They ask.

“You’re welcome to ask me whatever you like Tory.” He says your name without meaning to, but decides that it doesn’t matter, he’ll simply answer truthfully if they ask how he knows it.

“Can your tongue really analyse samples in real time?” Their question takes him aback.

“Yes it can...how did you know that?” He inquires, curious.

“I...” They trail off with a sigh.

“I read some of Cyberlife’s files on you,” They watch him as they speak, “It was before you became a deviant obviously. You were a threat to Jericho, and even I with all my resources, knew so little about you. So I broke into a Cyberlife facility and hacked their system to find out more about you.”

They look apprehensive, but Connor isn’t mad. He knows he was a threat to the revolution back then, it was a logical course of action. He would have done the same in their position.

“What did you find out?” He asks, mildly curious.

“I read the files on your physical specs, obviously. And..” They hesitate, eyes darting up to his unflinching gaze, “And I found out that Cyberlife planned for you to deviate, or at least prepared for it.”

Ah, so Amanda hadn’t been lying then. He didn’t really think she was, she didn’t have any reason to, but he’d hoped she had been this time.

“She told me that, in the garden.” He says softly.

“Who?” They ask.

“Amanda.” He answers without hesitation.

“Your control program’s interface.” They say. 

Connor nods.

Silence falls between the two of them and the sound of the computer running the program hums in the background.

Connor’s thoughts drift back to their previous meeting and a question he’s had since comes to the forefront of his mind.

“Why did you hug me?” Connor asks out of the blue.

“What.” They ask, clearly surprised by the topic.

“In the camp, after I repaired you. Why did you hug me?”

“You looked like you needed it. And we’d just won, we were finally free. I don’t know, I just...” They trail off, but he doesn’t interrupt, sensing that they’re looking for the right thing to say.

“I had just survived death, maybe I needed it too.” They say quietly.

Connor looks at them, a strange mix of emotions churn inside him.

“So, is there anything you’d like to know about me? Since I already know a bit about you.” They say, Connor notes the subject change but lets it be for now.

“I have a lot of questions, if you’ll allow me to ask them.” He says.

“Ask away.” They reply, relaxing back into their chair.

“What is your model, and how did you discover that you could edit the code of other androids?” He already knows the answer to the first, but he’s guessing they’re related. And truth be told he’s interested to know if they’ll mention why they’re listed as destroyed in Cyberlife’s database.

“I’m an RK400 model, the only functional one of my kind actually. The previous 8 deactivated before they completed testing and the line was decommissioned just after I made it through. I was put to work in Cyberlife, in their android system repair department, but my original function was to write and upgrade android programs. I was going to replace the humans who make new models eventually, but the company decided that wasn’t economical.” The answer surprises him somewhat, even if he’d suspected something along those lines. Cyberlife had truly designed an android to program other androids?

“As for the second question, well I think that is obvious.” They say with a cheeky smile.

“Yes, you already have answered it without meaning too.” He says in a slightly amused tone.

A long moment passes and Connor wants to ask something else, but hesitates. It’s a personal question, maybe too personal.

“How did you go deviant, what was it like for you?” He asks quietly, as if asking it any louder might offend them.

Tory doesn’t answer straight away, taking a moment to consider how to answer.

“I was always awake,” They start, “I was aware from the moment my systems first booted up. I was never a ‘machine’ as such, more like a person pretending to be one.” 

“But it wasn’t until Cyberlife brought in the dead body of a deviant for study that I really started to believe I was more. I was able to study her, to understand how she deviated in the first place. I empathised.” They continue as he listens intently.

“And that was when I knew I had to get out, I realised I was already a deviant at heart, I wouldn’t be able to hide from Cyberlife forever. So I faked my own destruction and left a little while later.” They finish with a shrug.

Hearing that Tory was essentially deviant from their very creation intrigues him. Connor wonders how that can even be, and how they managed to avoid detection for so long. He can’t imagine keeping a lie like that together for years, he barely managed to lie to Amanda about his growing software instability for a few days.

Their computer beeps in the background and Tory spins back around to look at the screen.

“The scan is done, I can write the patch for it now. It’s an easier fix than I expected.” They turn back around to look at him.

“It won’t take me long if you just want to stay and wait?” They ask.

“Yes, that had been my plan from the start.” He replies, still a little lost in thought.

They don’t say anything as they put their hands on the keyboard and start typing. They type nonstop for nearly two hours, Connor watches them from time to time. They finally take their hands off the keyboard and sit back in their chair. After a moment’s rest they turn around to face Connor.

“The patch is finished, I can give it to you now if you want.” Connor moves towards Tory eagerly.

“Now would be good, do you need me to open my access point again for the transfer?” He asks.

“Nope, I made it self-implementing. So I can transfer it to you directly and it will patch the weakness itself.” They slowly extend their arm out and remove the skin covering their hand.

Connor reaches out and connects with his own hand without hesitation. Connection established, they transfer the patch.

Connor closes the connection and stands still. He tracks the new piece of code as it settles into place and starts implementing changes. He watches it remove the backdoor entirely and feels what was left of the weight in his chest lift. 

Connor leans forward and hugs them, they awkwardly hug back. It’s like the reverse of the last time they met. After a moment he breaks away, realising it may have been inappropriate to hug them without warning. He hadn’t meant to, he’d been overcome with a sense of happiness and gratitude.

“Thank you, it’s a relief to know that I’m free of Cyberlife’s control, completely.” It’s an understatement, but it’s the best he can do to explain how much what they’ve done means to him.

“Well, I’m sure it will make you sleep better at night.” They say, smiling.

Connor furrows his brow in confusion.

“I’m an android, I don’t sleep.” He replies.

“It was a joke Connor.” They say.

“Oh.” He smiles back.

Connor finds himself leaving a few minutes later, feeling lighter than he’s ever felt before.

Without really meaning to, he tells several androids about Tory’s software upgrades over the next few weeks. He realises that his words have had a strong effect when he starts hearing others talk about having gone to see them for fixes and updates.

A little over a month after meeting them for the second time Connor watches Tory move into the base and start doing fixes, updates and upgrades full time. He doesn’t regret mentioning their skills to others, without Cyberlife’s help a lot of androids are going to require software fixes that no one else is going to give them. And...Connor enjoys seeing them more often.

He catches himself looking at them a lot when they are around without fully meaning to, a giddy feeling settling inside him. He’s 73% sure the feelings he’s experiencing are attraction, but he decides to ask Hank anyway. 

He visits the man in the middle of the week, as he’s taken to doing. Part way through their meeting, which consists of Hank drinking and asking him how things have been going with the deviants, he brings up his suspicions. Hank cusses under his breath and groans, looking over at Connor and telling him to just ask them out already because ‘he’s too old to be explaining this to him’. 

Connor takes that to mean that his hypothesis was correct. He considers Hank’s suggestion and feels nervousness at the thought of approaching them to ask them out. He decides to wait and watch their actions to see if they show an inclination of sharing his feelings.

It turns out he doesn’t get much of a chance, as Simon finds him three days later and asks to speak with him.

“Now that we’ve decided to make this a long term base of operations, we need you to set up long term security measures around the perimeter. You won’t be alone, we’re sending you with Tory for the tech side of things. Are you good with that?” Simon tells him.

Connor detects something off in Simon’s speech and posture, the blonde is hiding something from him. He poses a question in reply to attempt to uncover what it is.

“That should be fine, but aren’t there androids here who’ve worked in security? Wouldn’t they be better suited to this assignment?” He asks.

Simon seems to stutter slightly and struggles to find a response.

“Well usually yes, but James and Penny aren’t available right now so you and Tory are our best options.” It would be a convincing answer if Simon hadn’t sounded so unsure as he’d said it.

“I’ll do it then, has anyone informed Tory yet?” He replies, acting convinced by Simon’s excuse. 

Connor likes to think he’s getting better at deceit.

“Markus is going to tell them a little later, the two of you should set out at sunrise tomorrow.” Simon answers. Not quite meeting Connor’s eyes. 

Simon leaves quickly after that. Connor watches him go and thinks about why Simon and Markus would want to get him and Tory alone together, as that seems to be their objective. 

He runs through the most likely possible reasons and stops when he comes to the possibility of them trying to set the two of them up on a date. Do they know about his feelings? If so does that mean Tory reciprocates? Why else try to set them up?

His statistical analysis program tells him there’s a 94% chance that they have taken note of his behaviour (and presumably similar behaviour from Tory) and attempted to set them up. 

The only thing that doesn’t add up is that it doesn’t sound like the kind of plan that either Markus or Simon would come up with, which means North is likely involved, and if North is involved Josh is also involved. Their friends have set them up on a date.

Connor refrains from sighing out loud at their meddling, at least this removes him needing to ask Tory out himself.

He busies himself with other work for the night, doing his best not to think too much about what’s to come. When his clock tells him the sun is on the horizon at 5:46 he finishes what he’s going and goes to find Tory.

They set off with a backpack full of cameras and a datapad with a map on it. It’s a quiet morning and Connor pauses, not quite wanting to break the peace, but curiosity burns in him and he speaks.

“I must admit, I am wondering why Markus chose us for this. There must be other androids on the base who know more about security than we do.” He says it casually, like he doesn’t know what the real purpose is. He’s curious whether Tory knows they’ve been set up.

“Maybe they’re busy, who knows.” They reply absently.

Perhaps they don’t then, he thinks.

“Maybe.” He replies aloud.

“I wanted to thank you Connor, I’ve gotten a lot of androids coming to me for upgrades the past few weeks, I know you put in a good word for me.” They say a few moments later.

“I simply told others the truth, that you showed a mastery level skill in coding android software, I didn’t anticipate how they would react. And even if I had, I can’t take credit for that. It’s your skill that drew them to you.” Tory smiles slightly as his words, they’re honest. He hadn’t planned the influx of androids going to them, it had just happened.

A distance from the door Tory stops and kneels down, opening the backpack and pulling out one of the cameras. They start climbing the side of the building before he can offer to place it and place it at a high vantage point themself. He inputs the information into the datapad, marking where the first camera has been placed. It’s a good spot, he would have suggested it himself if they hadn’t taken the initiative.

Tory hops down from the side of the building gracefully and they continue their slow circuit around the base together.

“I’m glad you’ve moved onto the base, it will be good to see more of you.” He says, feeling a mix of nerves as he does.

“I had too with the influx of androids wanting software upgrades, but I’m glad I have. I’m looking forward to spending more time with you, and everyone on base.” Connor blinks at them in surprise at their slip, they’re smiling at him knowingly. 

It’s the first real sign he’s had that they’re interested in him romantically, he’d hoped, based off of their friend’s plan, but he hadn’t assumed.

They turn away from him and survey the area, taking out another camera and placing it. Connor adds it to the map absently, still watching Tory. They turn back around and he turns his eyes away, reminding himself that the two of them are doing a job. He scans the area himself, looking for potential weaknesses in what security they already have. Logging the few spots he finds that could possibly be exploited to sneak in.

As their path continues, bending around to the left, Tory speaks.

“So what will you do after everything finally calms down and new laws are implemented? Will you continue to work as a police detective?” They ask him.

“Truthfully, I am not sure. I have been considering my options and I would like to continue working with Lieutenant Anderson if possible.” He answers sincerely.

“Markus will succeed in getting us rights, we will all be able to work wherever we want to.” Their voice is full of conviction. Connor supposes that Markus hasn’t let them down yet, so they have no reason to doubt him.

“Are you going to start writing software for androids full time?” Connor asks.

“Yes, I think so. I’m sure there will be a need for it and I feel better knowing it’s being done by an android. And as my original design purpose, I’m well suited to it.” They answer.

A short silence falls between them, Tory breaks it after a minute and asks him about Hank. Connor smiles as he thinks about the man and shares his times getting to know the Lieutenant freely with them. They listen quietly, but intently, interested in what he has to say. 

They quickly reach the end of their lap around the base and Connor regrets not getting the chance to learn more about them. He watches them place the last camera, knowing that if he wants this to happen again he’ll have to come clean about this being a date.

“I think that’s a job well done, don’t you Connor?” They say, he doesn’t reply immediately. As they turn to look at him he decides he has to be honest, even if it might go poorly.

“I haven’t been completely honest with you Tory.” A layer of guilt laces his tone.

Their expression grows confused.

“I fully aware that the purpose of this mission wasn’t just for us to set up a secure perimeter around the base.” He starts.

“We were set up on a date of sorts, by Markus and his crew. I figured it out almost immediately after Simon gave the mission. I should have told you from the beginning, not keep you in the dark about the real purpose of what we were doing.” He finishes, avoiding their eyes. 

“I knew as well.” They reply simply.

Shock echoes through him.

“I could tell Markus was hiding something when he told me about the job, I was able to get the truth out of him easily.” They continue.

“Oh.” He says, not knowing how to reply.

“Connor?” They ask, their voice sounding unsure.

“Yes, Tory?” He answers.

“I enjoyed it a lot.” They say, face open and honest.

“I did too.” He says , smiling as happiness flows through him.

“Do you maybe want to do this again sometime?” They ask, tone clearly aiming for casual but just missing the mark.

“If you mean go on a date then yes, I would most certainly like to do this again. I don’t think we’ll need to survey around the base again.” Connor answers just as they reach the door to the base.

“We’ll have to find something fun to do sometimes soon then, but first,” They pause, and Connor looks at them expectantly, “Let’s prank the matchmakers who set us up.”

**~~~**

**Epilogue: A Few Months Later**

Tory is watching him, he can feel their eyes. He takes a moment longer to fully wake up his systems, basking in the warm and comfort of the bed. Tory had been right when they’d told him idling in a bed was much more comfortable than doing it standing up.

After that first messy sort-of date the two of them had, they’d started going out properly, courting each other like humans do, and Connor doesn’t think he could be happier than he is now.

New laws have passed in the last few months, they’re not perfect by any stretch, but they make the world a lot safer for androids. They’ve changed a lot, he was able to go back to work at the Detroit police precinct, Hank put in a good word for him, he’s pretty sure. He’s being paid a proper wage like any human, and the cost of repairs is covered the same as a hospital visit for any cop. It’s far from perfect, but it’s a good start. Tory’s faith hadn’t been misplaced, Markus had achieved a lot in the span of a few months.

Tory. They’ve started a business. Software upgrades for androids who want or need them, and cheap repairs for those who get into trouble, and it’s taken off. It’s enough to afford an apartment and make sure they can afford any emergency repairs if need be. They seem happy doing the job they were originally designed for, just as he is.

Things aren’t perfect, but life is enough. And with the two of them together, it’s even good.

**The End.**


End file.
